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NATO has asked the EU and Turkey to improve its relationships as a retreat of US President Donald Trump from the European security forces, which the capital cities of the continent to quickly rethink their alliances.
NATO The Secretary General Mark Rutte privately asked the EU leaders to deal with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after years of tense relationships, according to officials who were informed about his comments
It comes when Brussels examines a way to increase cooperation with the collaboration turkey And others non-EU-neighboring barn as part of a massive scale of European defense skills.
Trump’s threats to withdraw the security guarantees of the US security guarantees to the European NATO allies, and his move to restart relationships with Russia and reduce support for Ukraine, have frightened EU capitals. As well as a hurry to increase defense expenditure, some EU capitals have campaigned for work “Coalition of the will” With non-EU countries like Norway and Great Britain.
The Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan took part in a meeting of the most important military powers of Europe in London at the beginning of this month to discuss support for the Ukraine and broader defense problems.
This was followed by a plea by Rutte at a private lunch with the EU leaders in early February, where he increased the importance of increased cooperation with Turkey, and asked those present to deal with Ankara to get it running, three people who were informed about the discussion.
A spokesman for Rutte, a former Dutch Prime Minister, who temporarily collaborated with Erdoğan during his term in office, rejected a statement. The NATO general secretary informed the European Parliament in January that “the inclusion of non-EU allies in the industrial efforts of EU defense, I believe, was of crucial importance for the security of Europe”.
“Things change. At a certain point in time, you have to decide who you want in your team, regardless of problems you may have, ”said a high -ranking EU official with regard to relationships with Turkey. “But they also have to sort out their ambiguity over Russia.”
Turkey has not joined the EU and other western allies in order to impose direct sanctions on Moscow, to respond to Russia in response to the full invasion of Ukraine and the strong economic and energy education. Athens pointed out the lack of participation in Türkiye in the sanction regime.
While the EU’s direct participation in defense and security problems is limited to areas such as military mobility and some peace security and surveillance missions, the block has significant financial levers to create the collaboration of the defense industry.
The important weapon industry in Türkiye is an element in a broader dispute among the Member States about whether defense companies should benefit from the third of EU initiatives to increase weapon expenditure. The advance of increasing the commitment with Ankara is also aimed at bilateral relationships with the EU capitals, civil servants said.
Technically speaking, Turkey is an EU candidate, but the process has been quiet for a long time. The block suspended various dialogue channels – including security and defense – partly due to an increase in tensions with Greece.
A Greek diplomat said that Athens had remained “careful and not dogmatic” in an increased defense cooperation with Ankara. “Turkey must be constructive in dealing with outstanding problems with Member States,” he added, referring to Greece and Cyprus.
The EU member state of Cyprus, which has been divided since 1974, when Turkey entered north in response to a coup inspired by Athens, which aimed to unite the island with Greece, is one of the greatest obstacles to deepening ties. The Turkish officials complain that the situation over the island has a little more than 1 million people initiatives to expand cooperation in European security issues.
Trump’s arrival has changed the perspectives, several diplomats informed the Financial Times.
“We are currently determining the best procedure,” Fidan told FT last week when he was asked about Trump’s potential effects on the security agreements in Europe. “If this leads to a new European security structure, we are ready to work together.”
